Lê Xuân Tùng (right) and Lê Thúy Quỳnh (left) are charged with tax evasion. — Photo cand.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — Lê Xuân Tùng, Chairman and CEO of Phú Quý Gold Investment Joint Stock Company, has been formally charged with tax evasion in connection to a major smuggling operation involving 310kg of gold brought from Laos to Việt Nam.

The charge follows an investigation by the Ministry of Public Security’s Criminal Investigation Department, which issued a conclusion and recommended the prosecution of 25 individuals allegedly involved in smuggling and tax evasion at the Lao Bảo border gate in Quảng Trị Province and among Phú Quý Gold Investment Joint Stock Company and related entities.

According to the investigation, the criminal network behind the large-scale gold smuggling operation is allegedly led by Nguyễn Thị Hóa, 53, residing in Lao Bảo Town, Hướng Hóa District, Quảng Trị Province and her sister-in-law Nguyễn Thị Gái, 55, also living in the town. Many of the other suspects are family members or close relatives of Hóa and Gái.

Nguyễn Thị Hóa, 53, is suspected of masterminding the gold smuggling ring.— Photo cand.com.vn

Hóa allegedly masterminded the smuggling operation and is suspected of overseeing the illicit transportation of gold from Vientiane, Laos to Karon Market, Sepon District in Laos' Savannakhet Province before smuggling it into Việt Nam via the Lao Bảo border gate for sale at gold shops in Hà Nội.

From December 22, 2022, to June 13, 2024, Hóa is accused of smuggling a total of 310kg of gold, valued at over VNĐ454 billion (US$17.8 million).

Her alleged actions violated Article 188 of the Criminal Code on smuggling.

Gái, in collaboration with Hóa, is accused of financing the gold smuggling operation and facilitating transactions with Lê Minh Tuân (the owner of Tuân Đức Gold Shop), who allegedly assisted Hóa in tracking gold purchases in Laos and receiving payments.

During the same period, Gái and Hóa were allegedly involved in the illegal importation and sale of 310kg of gold, generating an illicit profit of VNĐ310 million ($12,200) for Hóa.

Among the 25 suspects to be prosecuted are owners and managers of several gold shops, including Trần Anh Sơn (manager of Minh Hưng Gold Shop), Nguyễn Thị Vân (manager of Kim Linh Gold Shop), Đặng Văn Định (owner of Minh Phúc Gold Shop), Trần Công Quán (owner of Nhật Vượng Gold Shop), Đàm Anh Tuấn (owner of Tuấn Quang Gold Shop), Nguyễn Khắc Bồng and Lê Minh Tuân (owners of Tuân Đức Gold Shop).

Despite allegedly knowing that Hóa was organising the illegal importation of gold from Laos, the individuals are believed to have still purchased large quantities of the smuggled gold to sell to customers and use as raw material for jewellery production, thus profiting from the illicit trade.

In connection with the case, investigators determined that to reduce the taxes payable, Lê Xuân Tùng, in his capacity as the company’s chairman, allegedly instructed Lê Thúy Quỳnh, the firm's accountant, to avoid recording and properly accounting for income in the company’s MISA accounting software.

This resulted in an inaccurate tax assessment, leading to a loss of more than VNĐ6 billion ($236,000) in State assets.

Tùng’s alleged actions constitute tax evasion under Article 200 of the Criminal Code.

Quỳnh was also found to have allegedly altered and adjusted financial data, reducing sales transactions to update the figures in the MISA accounting software, issuing electronic invoices and submitting false tax declarations, which led to reduced tax liabilities and a loss in State assets.

During the investigation, authorities have seized 36 properties linked to the suspects, including 21 properties owned by Nguyễn Thị Hóa (15 in Quảng Trị Province and six in Đà Nẵng City).

Nguyễn Thị Gái has also had five properties seized in Quảng Trị.— VNS